Daily News: 1/10/2000 Report

[Graham Hoyland] "Tell me something. Would
anybody want to watch a film about a search for Sandy Irvine and the retrieval of my
uncle's camera-even if we didn't find anything? "

A sample of answers from Readers of EverestNews.com:

1.) I think that anyone with an interest in the outdoors, be
it climbing or not, would have a interest in a film that shows the beauty of Everest and
its surroundings. Although I do not climb myself, I find the sport
fascinating and watch everything I can find on the subject.

2.) Because it is there.

3.) Because its there. Ross

4.) I would be very interested. Thanks, Surya

5.) Would I watch such a film? Yes. I have been fascinated
with the North Face and with Mallory and Irvine since reading "Everest: Kingdom of
Adventure" in 1947. Every photograph or film of the North Face is
interesting to me. Bill

6.) Dear Graham. I am not a climber but, I am obsessed with
Everest. I know many others who have the same passionate interest. Of course, I
cannot speak for all but, I would most certainly watch, such a film whether Sandy were to
be found or not. You see, people like myself, absorb all we can about that mountain.
I read about it all of the time and have purchased movies and photographs of
Everest. We have an entire wall of our living room dedicated to all things Everest which
include a 44 inch Summit photo, a large photo of the knife ridge and Hillary Step from
South Summit, pictures of climbers as well as a pair of crampons an Everest Summiter gave,
to me. He wore these crampons to the summit and they are my most treasured
possession.
I know several summiteers personally as well. Myself and my family hold those such as
yourself in very high esteem and follow all of the Everest expeditions each Spring and
Fall. Therefore, we would most certainly, without a doubt, watch this film. Michael

7.) Not all the shows on Everest end in success, just like the climbs themselves.
It's the mountain I'm drawn to, the climbers are just actors and props, they bring it to a
level I can understand. Tom West

Daily News: 1/7/2000 Report

Did You Know ? A New Feature of
EverestNews.com

In 1980 Jerzy Kukuczka and Andzej Czok succeeded in becoming
the first to climb to the Summit of Everest by what became known as the South Pillar. The
South Pillar is at the right hand edge of the Southwest face. It took Jerzy and Andzej 16
days to climb the rock band alone. They reached the Summit on May 19th in a Everest storm.
Both made it down alive. Others soon followed with variations of their climb. In Spring
2000 another group will attempt the South Pillar again. We will post the News after they
officially release it.

Graham Hoyland

[Graham Hoyland] "Tell me something. Would
anybody want to watch a film about a search for Sandy Irvine and the retrieval of my
uncle's camera-even if we didn't find anything? "

Daily News: 1/6/2000 Report

Graham Hoyland

The Last set of answers:

Q.) After reading many articles by Eric Simonson, Tom
Holzel, David B. and others , I find one thing confusing. Some people seem to
think that the "English Dead" found in 1975 was Irvine others think it was
Mallory. I think it was Irvine. What are your thoughts???

A.) [Graham Hoyland] Well Tom, like you I am firmly
convinced that the body was that of Sandy Irvine. For those of you who don't know the
story, in 1975 a Chinese high-altitude climber, Wang Hang-boa made an amazing find near
his Camp V1. He stumbled across the body of an "English dead" in a sitting
position behind a rock, whose clothes crumbled in the thin cold air when touched, and
whose cheek had a hole in it. He told his story to Ryoten Yoshimoro Hasegawa, a Japanese
climber, using a few words they had in common. He scrawled the figures "8200
meters" in the snow, and plucked at his clothing and crumbled the imaginary dust
between his fingers. Wang himself was killed on the North Col the day after he had told
his astonishing story. For our BBC film we flew to Japan and interviewed Mr. Hasegawa, who
confirmed this description. When the guys on our expedition found George Mallory they felt
that he had been lying there since 1924, much lower than Wang and in a prone position.
There was no hole in the cheek.

Q.) You mentioned that the BBC has produced a documentary -
do you know if it has been sold to one of the Australian networks?

A.) [Graham Hoyland] It's a great film, Daren, and I'm sure
it will be shown in Australia. But you might have more luck buying the video from BBC
WorldWide - you'll find them on the net.

Q.) The answer to your last question on EverestNews on 11/29
stated:" I certainly hope any rope found on Irvine matches that found around
Mallory's body. Otherwise those rumors about the other two climbers seen up there may be
true.... " Please elaborate on the rumor of the other two climbers.

A.) [Graham Hoyland] I'm afraid I'm guilty of making a
joke. To explain, if the rope DIDN'T match that around Mallory it would imply that they
were tied to two further climbers- and there weren't any up there, of course. And there
are so many rumors around this story I thought by making a joke it would make it clear
that it's very easy to start.....oh, never mind!

Q.) Graham, When will the Mallory film from the expedition
be show here in the U.S? If there are not firm plans to air it here will it be available
to buy???

A.) [Graham Hoyland] Hi, Jay. The Nova version of the
film we shot will be aired on 18th January by WGBH. If you would like to see the BBC
version (also very good!) see the answer to number two.

This finishes the Q&A. However on Friday, Graham will ask
YOU, the readers of EverestNews.com a Question ! Maybe a new trend will begin...

Daily News: 1/5/2000 Report

NOVA/BBC co-production

The searchers
"Lost on Everest" on NOVA
Tuesday, January 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS

In 1999, a NOVA-sponsored expedition made one of the most astonishing discoveries in the
history of mountaineering: the well-preserved body of explorer George Mallory at the spot
where he died in 1924 on a heroic effort to be the first to scale Mount Everest.

NOVA tells the inside story of the expedition that found Mallory and then went on to climb
Everest using the northeast ridge route that Mallory and fellow climber Andrew Irvine were
attempting to pioneer.

Lost on Everest, airs Tuesday, January 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

The program features exclusive footage of the search and discovery of Mallory on a steep,
rock-strewn incline at 27,000 feet. Rare footage in this extreme environment captures the
legendary climber lying face down, clutching the frozen face of the mountain to arrest his
fatal fall of 75 years ago.

Search team member Conrad Anker made the discovery, attracted by the striking whiteness of
Mallory's mummified skin. On closer inspection, he saw a hobnailed boot and tattered wool
and cotton clothing-signs that the body was very old.

Many artifacts were found with Mallory, including personal letters, an altimeter, a broken
rope, and snow goggles in his pocket.

The stowed goggles may signal that he and Irvine were climbing at night, possibly
returning from the summit.

Drawing on their extensive climbing experience, members of the expedition speculate on
camera about the clues revealed by the artifacts and Mallory's distinctive pattern of
injuries.

Renowned mountaineer David Breashears also discusses the chances that Mallory and Irvine
reached the summit, based on his knowledge of Everest history and his own four ascents of
the mountain.

Ironically, as the searchers assemble around Mallory after Anker's discovery, they all
think they are gazing at Irvine. A Chinese climber had reported stumbling on "an
English dead" in 1975, presumably Irvine since the corpse was somewhere below the
ridge where Irvine's ice ax was found in 1933.

NOVA shows climber Jake Norton carefully scratching Irvine's name and dates on a piece of
shale. But then team member Dave Hahn notices a shirt tag on the body. "Oh my
God!" he says. "This is George Mallory!"

Mallory and Irvine were last seen alive on the afternoon of June 8, 1924, when they were
spotted less than a thousand feet below the summit, climbing steadily upwards.

The most daunting obstacle on their route is the notorious Second Step, a 90-foot cliff
that they probably had not reached when they were last seen. Today's climbers scale the
step with the help of a fixed ladder. No one is known to have conquered it by an unaided,
free climb, as Mallory and Irvine would have to have done, until Conrad Anker attempted it
on the NOVA expedition, two weeks after finding Mallory's body.

NOVA documents Anker's attack on the Second Step during his summit bid with fellow
climbers Dave Hahn, Jake Norton, Tap Richards, and two Sherpas. All but Anker and Hahn
turn back below the Second Step, which Anker eventually clambers up with difficulty. He
and Hahn then continue to the summit.

Though his success at free climbing the Second Step shows it can be done, Anker believes
it may have been too daunting and dangerous for Mallory and Irvine, whose equipment and
experience were probably not up to the challenge.

But other team members feel just as strongly that Mallory and Irvine reached the top.
Definitive proof must await a search for Irvine's body and the camera that he and Mallory
were carrying. A picture from the summit would settle the question once and for all.

Meanwhile, the expedition has answered many questions but raised even more. Says Hahn:
"We're not sorry if we've deepened the mystery." Now in its 26th season, NOVA is
produced for PBS by the WGBH Science Unit. The director of the WGBH Science Unit and
executive producer of NOVA is Paula S. Apsell.

Executive Producer: Paula S. Apsell
A NOVA/BBC co-production in association with ZDF.
Written and produced by Liesl Clark
Produced for the BBC by Peter Firstbrook

Daily News: 1/4/2000 Report

Everest Spring 2000 Expeditions

Joining the other Expeditions in Spring 2000 on Everest will
be Frits Vrijlandt and Steven Le Poole. They will be members of a British/Dutch
non-commercial expedition, attempt to climb Mt. Everest via the North ridge.

The Expedition will be led by David Allason-Pritt, who was
previously involved in an attempt to summit Mt. Everest, also via the North Ridge, in the
Fall of 1997. He is British and a school teacher, residing in the Lake District. More
later on Dave and the Dutch.

Some of the other Expeditions for Spring 2000 which
EverestNews.com has announced:

1.) Juan Oiarzabal from Spain will head an expedition to
emulate Mallory & Irvine's 1924 attempt on Everest. See 12/27/99 News

Daily News: 1/3/2000 Report

Greatest American Climber: No Clear pick: Hornbein &
Lowe & Viesturs top in the votes. But many climbers receiving votes.

Greatest Sherpa climber: Appa Sherpa

Greatest climbing pair: Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet

Greatest Guide: Rob Hall

This was fun ! Many gave us their comments with the votes.
Overall, it seems our readers had a similar process that the staff at EverestNews.com did.

We first pulled out the great technical climbers and
discussed that they should be the greatest. Then we discussed that others had done more
and that many had died. It seems to us that if you died during a summit you really did not
make it...

Therefore, we agreed that Overall Achievement (where the
climber came home) was the highest basis to be used, in our opinion.

These votes should also point out to you that many of these
H.A. climbers die. If you are just getting into this sport, know that there is a real
probability of losing your life out there. Every time you climb on these 8000 meter peaks,
you put your life on the line. Look at Alex Lowe, Ginette Harrison and the many others we
have lost this year. Be safe, careful and enjoy.